Feminism, trans rights and the left in Serbia and Croatia

Abstract

Rad obrađuje sukob unutar feminističke zajednice koji je nastao zbog pokušaja isključivanja trans žena iz feminističkog pokreta uz tvrdnje da su interesi i ciljevi trans aktivizma u suprotnosti sa pravima cis žena. Trans-isključujuće feministkinje pri tome označavaju trans žene kao navodne prijetnje fizičkoj sigurnosti cis žena, dok trans muškarce smatraju pasivnim žrtvama patrijarhalnog ugnjetavanja cis žena. Središnje mjesto u sukobu zauzima pitanje međuodnosa koncepata spola i roda, čijem rješavanju uvelike doprinosi Judith Butler. Slična situacija kao na Zapadu prisutna je također u feminističkoj zajednici Srbije i Hrvatske gdje nakon izbora trans-isključujuće izvršne direktorice Centra za ženske studije u Zagrebu u prosincu 2020. godine dolazi do jačanja sukoba. Unatoč vlastitim pokušajima primjene marksističke analize, trans-isključujuće radikalne feministkinje svojim tumačenjima spola kao nepromjenjive biološke/materijalne činjenice zauzimaju stajalište konzervativnih aktera. Trans-uključujuće feministkinje i LGBTIQ+ organizacije pokazuju da cis žene i trans osobe dijele zajedničke interese u borbi protiv patrijarhata i kapitalizma.The paper explores the re-emerging conflict within feminist community revolving around the attempts to exclude trans women from the feminist movement. Feminists advocating for the trans exclusion claim that trans women’s interests and goals are allegedly in conflict with cis women's rights. Trans-exclusionary feminists label trans women as threat to cis women's physical safety, while trans men are being viewed as passive victims of the patriarchal oppression of cis women. The central question in the conflict is the relationship between sex and gender, greatly influenced by the work of Judith Butler. A similar situation to that seen in the West is currently present in Serbia and Croatia, where the conflict has become more intensified following the appointment of trans-exclusionary feminist as a new executive director at the Zagreb’s Centre for Women’s Studies in December 2020. Despite their attempts of employing a Marxist analysis, which include the interpretation of sex as an immutable biological/material fact, trans-exclusionary radical feminists find themselves sharing the same position as conservative actors. Trans-inclusionary feminists and LGBTIQ+ organizations are showing that cis women and trans persons have the same interests in the struggle against patriarchy and capitalism